Wednesday, August 30, 2006

It's Always Better on Holiday IV, pt. IV

Things took a turn for the adventurous last Friday when I rented a car and headed down to Navajo Mountain to visit Andrew.

The starting mileage . . .

I hope you like landscape photos from the driver's seat, because that's what you're getting.

On my drive I saw things I hadn't seen for about 22 years

There's nothing depressing about gas station dogs

Nothing at all

My rental car was a Chevy HHR. I don't think I had even seen an HHR before this trip, but suddenly I was noticing them everywhere I looked. It was a trustworthy vehicle and well-suited for the trip, but a little too distinctive for me if I were shopping for an auto. Also, why call it the HHR when you could call it, I don't know, the Razorback?

Around 10 miles of dirt road? At least I knew I was on the right track.

And then I saw a sign I was beginning to doubt I'd ever see.

I brought Andrew gifts from the civilized world. (Don't get the wrong impression, I didn't buy them for him)

The neighborhood at the end of the day

What's Andrew doing down there at Navajo Mountain? Why, he's the schoolteacher!

The street where Andrew lives, at night.

Andrew taught me how to play Gin, but I taught myself how to beat him at it. HA!

By the end of Friday night we were already running out of things to do around the res', so we decided to take a trip the next day . . .

(these were the worst gas station sunglasses I ever got, they pressed right up against my face)

Where did we go? Phoenix, of course!

Our first stop? To pay a visit to old London chum, Mr. Ryan Ricks!

I know you were worried about if Ryan and Vicki had cute kids. Don't worry. Look at this picture. They totally do.

Additional evidence in the affirmative.

A little bro-talk outside about drug dealers before heading off to our next stop . . .

The Mall! (as you can see, feelings were mixed about the place)

THEN we went to Gilber to visit my Aunt Afton and my cousins Scotty . . .

And Stuart!

Back at Afton's house we played in the pool. Sometimes you have fun in real life and forget about taking super many photos to overdocument the thing.

Parting shot early Sunday morning.

Sabu!

Afton's Arizona home and my only picture of part of her head.

Arizona politics are vicious!

Flagstaff hotels are welcoming!

We made it back to Navajo Mountain safe and sound and the next morning it was time to say goodbye.

Andrew's place of employment.

I'm went way easier on the road-photos on my way back.

On the way back to Salt Lake I stopped in Provo to see Jessi Gleason from way-back when, but here's a picture of me eating a torta cubana at El Gallo Giro. Word. (if you're wondering why there's a slice of hot dog on my plate, it's because it fell out of my sandwich, and if you're wondering why my sandwich included sliced up hotdog, then you've never lived in Mexico City)End, unceremoniously, I here present to you my ending mileage. What a trip I had to Navajo Mountain and back!

8 comments:

You saw Jessi Gleason! I have been wondering how she is. If you see her again, please tell her that JoLee (Remember me? I'm your sister Kristen's friend) said hi. Jessie, by the way, was once my roommate. And Jessi, if you happen to ever look at Brigham's blog: Hi. I hope life is treating you well.